


In-between and After

by nightchandac



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Angst, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-01 14:49:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5209931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightchandac/pseuds/nightchandac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of one shots/drabbles/ficlets/what have you of Darth Alecks (and Malavai Quinn).<br/>Mix of angst and fluff and the occasional smut.<br/>These take place outside of the SWTOR story, hence the title.</p><p>All of these take place at different points in the timeline.  By no means are they in any sort of order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Alecks crept silently along the corridor leading to the bridge. She stood in the doorway for a moment, making sure Quinn was sufficiently buried in his work and snuck up behind him. Quietly, she hovered there for a moment, then finally reached out and quickly squeezed his sides with her fingers.

He made a noise and nearly jumped out of his skin, scattering the few datapads he’d had in front of him. He whirled around, but when he registered that it was Lord Alecks, he stiffened, turning a deep shade of red. “My lord, forgive me. You startled me.”

Alecks was trying her hardest not to laugh. She took a moment to compose herself. But she couldn’t keep the chuckle from her voice when she spoke. “Did you just…squeak?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Ah, uhm…like I said, you startled me.”

Alecks moved in a flash, her fingers poking his sides before he’d even seen her move. He let out another startled yelp and flinched back. This time, Alecks couldn’t hold back her laughter. Quinn stood bashfully still, looking down at the floor.

When Alecks had finally straightened, she apologized, a stray giggle escaping her composure. “I didn’t know you were that ticklish. Or that your voice could go so high!” She playfully reached out again and he immediately covered his sides with his hands.

“My lord, please, I’m trying to work,” he pleaded. “Was there anything you specifically came to me for?”

Alecks pouted. “You’re no fun.”

Quinn rolled his eyes, feeling no sting from the jab, and began righting the scattered datapads. “You’re taking too much after Vette,” he muttered.

“That’s not a bad thing, you know.” She moved next to him and began rubbing his shoulders. “Hurry up and finish here. We need to spend some private time together,” she said in his ear.

He faced her and leaned in, close enough that he could see the glittering flecks of blue in her silver eyes, and gave her a sly smile. “I’ll do my best.” He kissed her lightly and brought his hands down to her waist. They hesitated there for a brief moment and as they parted, he gave her sides a quick squeeze.

She yelped. “You sneaky bastard. You’ll pay for that,” she sang as she left him to his work.


	2. "Does that feel better?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to the prompt of the same name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blood mention

Alecks and Vette boarded the ship laughing at some joke one of them had made.  The sound echoed onto the bridge and Quinn smiled briefly before going to welcome them—well,  _Alecks,_ mostly—back and perform his usual medical check.  When he saw them he nearly stopped in his tracks.  They were  _filthy_ —covered head to toe in dirt, grease, and  _gods knows what else_.  He opened his mouth to speak but shook his head, instead reaching for his scanner.  

“Welcome back, my lord. I trust everything went well?” he greeted as she took a seat on the couch next to Vette who was rubbing a knee. Quinn scanned her first but turned his attention to his lord.

Alecks simply nodded and relaxed back, tossing her feet onto the table in front of her.  One of her pants legs was ripped nearly up to the hip and Quinn could only stare as the fabric fell back and revealed a well-muscled thigh.

“ _Ouch_!  Hey, watch what you’re doing there, Captain Oblivious!  I’m here too, y’know,” Vette exclaimed, balling her small blue hands into fists.

Quinn huffed and turned his attention back to her.  He had accidentally banged the scanner against her injured knee.  “Apologies, Vette.  Here, this should help,” he said sourly and wrapped her knee after handing her some painkillers.

“Quinn, Vette,  _please_ ,” Alecks scolded.

“But he—” Vette began to argue, but one stern look from Alecks made her snap her mouth shut. Arguing with Alecks was always dangerous and, more often than not, a fruitless endeavor.  Her silver eyes were naturally frightening, but when she was angry it was as if a fire had been lit inside them.  She could switch from joking to serious in the blink of an eye and Quinn thought that made her even more fascinating rather than menacing.  

Quinn cleared his throat and turned to Alecks.  “If I may, my lord?” he asked, holding up his med scanner.

Again, she nodded and watched him work.  He ran the scanner over her, watching her eyes follow his hands.  She had a pretty serious burn on her bicep and a broken rib. He could never understand how she was able to keep fighting after breaking bones or being otherwise injured in such a way that would have him writhing in pain, though he imagined it was a perk of being Force-sensitive.  

He straightened her arm gently and began to treat it.  As he was wrapping it up, he fumbled with the roll and his hand smacked the burn. Suddenly he was on the ground and he couldn’t breathe.  He sat up, coughing, and held his hand under his nose, catching the blood now streaming down his face.

“Oh, shit!  Quinn, I’m so sorry!”  Alecks was shouting over Vette’s laughter.  “Let me help!”

Quinn waved his free hand, trying to dismiss her, but she tore some fabric from her ripped pants leg and balled it up, handing to him.  He pressed it under his nose and watched as she rummaged through his medical bag.  She finally pulled out an instant ice pack.  Kneeling in front of him, she held one hand on the back of his head and gently pressed the ice pack to the bridge of his nose and he winced.  They locked eyes for a moment, but Quinn quickly looked away, embarrassed.

“Does that feel better?” she asked, clearly concerned.

“Who cares?  He deserved it,” Vette muttered and Alecks shot her a glare that was all fire.  Vette shrank back and turned her attention to adjusting the bandage on her knee.

Quinn wanted to smile at the thought of Alecks defending him, but she turned her attention back to him and the urge left him.

“I’b fine, by lord.” He tried to stand but she held him down and, understanding what he wanted, handed him his bag.

“I’m really sorry…” she said again, still holding his head.  He wanted to tell her how much he liked feeling her fingers in his hair, but as he moved to search through his bag, she sat back up on the couch and crossed her arms over her chest.  He looked up at her and remembered his place.  He was in no position to tell her such things.   _These are inappropriate feelings_ , he scolded himself.  He sighed and turned his attention back to his bag as she wrapped her own injury.

“You could cut the sexual tension in here with a vibroknife, I swear,” Vette commented boldly and rose, testing her knee.  “I’m gonna go lay down; you two kids behave out here.”  She offered a sly smile to Alecks before heading to the crew quarters.

Quinn felt heat spread across his face and down his neck as he buried his face in his hands, unable to hide his utter embarrassment.  He heard Alecks shift in her seat.  He went back to work, searching through his bag again, trying to ignore the awkwardness that had settled over them.


	3. "I guess we'll have to share."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to the prompt of the same name.

The hot Tatooine wind whipped across the landscape in front of them and Quinn braced himself against the onslaught of sand.   _As if the twin suns weren’t enough_ , he thought,  _I have to deal with sand everywhere._   He had kept his opinion of the desert planet to himself however Alecks had picked up on his disdain.  He was more irritable than usual, he knew that, but personal opinions had no place in the mission, especially not a mission on which he was simply tagging along. Why Alecks had wanted to drag him across the desert instead of Vette, he didn’t know—but he was grateful.  The more time he spent with her, the more he began to understand her.  She truly was a force to be reckoned with.

Alecks threw her hand up and the oncoming blast of sand parted before her. They were moving too fast, speeders flying over dunes and through canyons, and Quinn was having trouble keeping up.  He tried to speed up to get inside Alecks’s Force-bubble of protection, but his engine sputtered and coughed, sending a trail of black smoke behind them.  Alecks turned around and watched as he wobbled and was ultimately thrown from the speeder.  He suddenly found himself floating above the crashed vehicle which he had fully anticipated painfully colliding with and fought the embarrassed blush he felt rising to his cheeks.

Alecks lowered Quinn to the ground and parked her speeder near the wreck.  “That was close, Quinn.  Keep an eye on your gauges next time,” she said, eyeing the rising smoke.

Quinn straightened his jacket and cleared his throat.  “Yes, my lord,” was all he could manage.  Had she felt him keeping an eye on  _her_  the whole time?  “A momentary lapse in judgment.”

Alecks raised an eyebrow at him.  “That ‘momentary lapse’ almost got you killed, Captain.  I would’ve thought you knew better.”  A half smile escaped her serious composure and Quinn felt confusion flash across him.

 _Is she…teasing me?_  He simply bowed his head. “Of course, my lord.”

Suddenly, Alecks was hurling sand over the wrecked speeder, burying it.  He was startled by her quick and forceful movement, he rushed to get out of the way.  He looked at her curiously.

Once she was satisfied with her work, she clapped her hands together.  “Got rid of the smoke.  We don’t need anyone following us out here,” she replied matter-of-factly and returned to her own speeder.  He stared at her, hesitant to assume what she wanted him to do.  She sighed heavily and motioned for him to get on. “I guess we’ll have to share.”  He still didn’t move— _couldn’t_  move.  The thought of him behind his lord, holding onto her waist, in such proximity…as if his thoughts of her hadn’t distracted him enough.  “Unless you’d rather walk, Quinn.  I  _will_  leave without you.”

He shook himself from his thoughts and quickly straddled the seat and wrapped his arms around her waist lightly.  She took off and he was forced to tighten his grip.  He felt her tense, but she squared her shoulders and, flashing him a toothy grin, accelerated again.  He was glad, at that moment, for Tatooine’s heat as it gave him an excuse for the redness of his face.


	4. Infant Contingency Report

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alecks wants to start a family...

 

The apartment was quiet for the first time in a long time. 

Alecks stood by the large window watching the rain, wrapping her sweater tighter around her, and brought her steaming cup of tea to her lips.  She watched the people below, many jogging quickly to get out of the rain.  A small group of children dressed in stark black and grey uniforms passed by, huddled close together as they made their way to the academy. 

Alecks’s grip on her mug tightened at the sight of them.  She’d barely noticed when the mug shattered in her hand, coating it in hot tea.  Startled, she quickly stooped to begin cleaning up the broken pieces, shaky fingers quickly trying to grab the sharp bits of ceramic.

The door _whooshed_ open and Quinn entered, shaking out his umbrella before leaning it against the doorway.  Alecks felt his alarm through the Force, barely heard him call out her name, and suddenly he was next to her, calm, still-gloved hands taking hers.  He said nothing as she began to sob. 

He led her to the couch, drying her hands with her sweater, and sat next to her.  Quinn pulled her in close, hugging her to him and rested his chin atop her head as she cried. 

“It’s not fair…” she whimpered into his chest.

He smoothed her hair as he replied quietly, hoping to hide his own pain from his voice.  “I know…I know.”  He closed his eyes as he fought back tears.  He’d vowed he’d be strong for her, but watching her fall apart again had broken something inside him.

 

_“It’s been five months, Mal.  Five months of trying and…nothing…” She sighed and took a seat in his lap._

_He wrapped his arms around her waist, locking his fingers behind her back.  “Sometimes these things take time, my love.”_

_She pursed her lips in frustration.  “I don’t want to wait…I want a family…” she brought her hands over her stomach and looked down.  “Maybe there’s something wrong with me…”_

_He shook his head and hooked a finger under her chin.  “There’s nothing wrong with you.  I can call for another appointment, if you’d like.  If you’re really worried.”_

_Smiling bashfully, she nodded.  “I just want to make sure.”_

_“Consider it done.” He pulled her in for a kiss._

 

Alecks curled into the arm of the couch and watched as he cleaned up the pieces of her mug and the spilled tea.  He’d wrapped her hand in a kolto bandage—though she’d insisted she was fine—and decided to clean the mess himself. 

He needed a distraction.  The tiny bits of mug had scattered and he focused on finding every piece he could by hand while Alecks’s stare bored into him.  Her sadness flowed from her and he could feel it, almost tangible in the quiet air, only heightening his own.  Sometimes he really hated her Force bond with him.

 

_Alecks was quiet when they received the results of the tests, but Quinn could feel her anger.  She sat still, quietly seething, her grip on his hand tightening painfully._

_He turned his attention to the doctor.  “There’s nothing you can do?  No medications?  No procedures?”_

_The woman shook her head sadly, crossing her hands over the datapad on her desk.  “I’m sorry.  This condition is rare and tests haven’t suggested any sort of cure or treatment.”_

_Quinn frowned at her tone.  “So that’s it?  We just give up?” he asked sharply.  He could feel anger and sadness building inside him, no doubt influenced by Alecks’s feelings, and he couldn’t keep it from his voice._

_The woman threw up her hands.  “There’s always adoption.  I’m afraid—”_

_Suddenly he was on his feet, being dragged along by his wife as she stormed from the office._

Quinn pulled Alecks closer, pulling her back into his chest and wrapped his arm tightly around her as they spooned on the couch.  It was dark now, and shadows danced across the room as speeders passed by outside. 

As she fell asleep against him, he let down the wall that kept his emotions at bay and cried quietly.  Seeing Alecks mope around made his heart heavy and knowing there was nothing he could do to make it right only added to the weight.  He felt so helpless.

Alecks must have sensed his gloom and carefully rolled over to face him.  “Are you okay?” she whispered gently.

He sighed.  “I’m sorry…Go back to sleep,” he replied and she reached up to wipe his tears away.

She shook her head.  “You have nothing to be sorry for.  You’ve been so strong for me…you haven’t mourned…” She nestled in closer to him, burying her head in his chest. 

He took a few shaky breaths, calming himself, and pressed his lips to the top of her head.  “I’m sorry,” he repeated, unsure of what else to say but growing tired of the silence.

In reply, Alecks rubbed soothing circles against his chest, letting him hold her tightly as they fell asleep.


	5. "I can't remember the last time I was this happy."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, response to the prompt of the same name. 
> 
> (300 words or less [it's 295])

Sunlight shined through the blinds, casting a hazy orange glow over the bedroom and it woke Alecks.  Squinting against the light, she sighed deeply.  Around her were strong arms, behind her ear was steady breathing, and she was relaxed—fully relaxed.  She smiled.  State of the galaxy be damned, she was going to stay in bed and enjoy the peace and quiet.

She reached up and intertwined her fingers with Quinn’s, letting his hands warm hers, and she scooted back to snuggle in closer to him.  She felt him stir and she kissed his fingers.  He nestled his face into the back of her neck, hiding his face in her hair, and placed gentle kisses there.

“Good morning, love,” she whispered. 

He hummed in response and kissed right behind her ear.  “Good morning.  You’re awfully content considering how early it is,” he mumbled against the back of her head and continued giving her soft kisses.

“And you’re awfully affectionate.  I think I like waking up early,” she mused, only slightly joking.

He chuckled quietly, the barest huff of breath.  “Just because I’m still half asleep…”

She rolled over to face him, a knowing smile pulling the corners of her mouth up and crinkling around her eyes.  Kissing the tip of his nose, she said, “I love you, Malavai.”

His brows drew together and he closed his eyes, biting his bottom lip.

Alecks sat up.  “What?”

He followed suit and gently brushed her hair over one of her shoulders and kissed the other.  “I love you, too, Alecks.  You make me very happy.”

She closed her eyes at his soft touch, turning her head to expose her neck and he moved in to kiss there, too.  “I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.”


	6. Impossible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aka Infant Contingency Report part 2

Alecks woke suddenly, heaving, her saliva thick in her mouth.  She raced to the ‘fresher, not bothering to turn on the light, and made it to the toilet just in time to be sick into it.  When she was done, she wiped her mouth and sat with her back against the cool tile of the wall.  Sweat beaded on her forehead yet she felt chills run through her and she shivered.

Using the wall for support, she stood slowly and made her way to the sink to brush her teeth.

When she returned to bed, she found Quinn still fast asleep.  She smiled to herself, thinking of him working himself so hard he slept soundly.  He deserved a break.

She woke later to the smell of breakfast and Quinn’s side of the bed empty.  Her stomach rolled as she took a deep breath and she was nauseous again.  She sat up and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, trying to will the sensation away.  It was no use and once again she raced to the refresher.

Quinn stood in the doorway when she finished with a concerned look on his face.  

Alecks waved him away.  "Go away.  You don’t need to see me like this.  I’m fine.“  She rose, unsteady on her feet, and grasped the edge of the sink for balance.  Quinn was at her side in a heartbeat.

"You should lie down.  I’ll get you some water,” he said and left her to brush her teeth again.

As she settled on the couch—she refused to be stuck in bed all day and Quinn decided it was best to compromise—Quinn lifted her feet at the opposite end and sat, placing her feet in his lap.  She sipped carefully at the water and eyed her husband as he focused on the datapad now in his hand.  Gently, she nudged the 'pad with her foot.  She was met with a smirk and Quinn readjusted himself so his work was just out of her reach.

“What are you doing?” she asked, bored of the silence.

“Going over your scan from this morning.  It’s curious….” he trailed off and Alecks pursed her lips.

“Well now  _I’m_  curious.  What is it?”  Absentmindedly, she began kneading her lip between her teeth.

His brows drew together as he continued to study the datapad.  "It…no, that doesn’t make sense…“

"Darling husband, I’m going to throttle you.   _What does it say?_ ” she demanded.

He reached over and took her glass and placed it on the end table next to him.  She shot him a confused look but remained silent as he shifted to face her.  

“It says…It says you’re  _pregnant_.”

Alecks’s eyes went wide and she found it hard to breathe.  Her eyes darted around the room as her mind raced.   _Pregnant?_   She couldn’t be…the doctors said it wasn’t possible.  She searched within herself, trying to find some evidence in the Force, and sure enough there was a small spark of  _something_  at her core.  Tears sprung to her eyes and she folded her hands over her stomach.  

Quinn sat patiently at her feet, waiting for any response from her.  When she looked up at him, her expression was a mix of disbelief, relief, excitement, and terror.  She nodded to him and he paled as his jaw dropped.  She watched as his expression mirrored hers and he raised a shaky hand to cover his eyes.

Seeing him overcome with emotion was enough to send her over the edge and she began to cry.  She crawled over to him and held his hands in hers.  Words would not come as she opened her mouth, so instead she pressed his hands to her lips.

In a sudden move, his arms were around her and she sat still in his embrace, too surprised to move.

“I love you,” he whispered in her ear and she started crying again, simply too stunned to respond.

Maybe everything was going to be okay.


	7. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Infant Contingency Report part 3

__

Alecks rested with her back against the arm of the couch, lightly tracing her fingers over her growing belly. Quinn sat at the opposite end and massaged her feet. The evening light cast an orange glow over them and filled the room with mock-warmth. Here, in this moment—wrapped in a blanket, her love at her feet, and her family growing—she felt safe.

"I think it's twins," she said quietly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"What?" Quinn blurted, failing to hide his surprise.

"I don't know. It's just a feeling...but, I think we're having twins."

Quinn shifted in his seat. "What makes you say that?"

She shrugged and continued to watch her fingers dance over her stomach. "Not entirely sure, but it feels right." She hummed lightly as she traced circles lazily. "It runs in my family."

Quinn stopped massaging her feet. " _What?"_ he blurted again.

Alecks laughed lightly and slowly looked at her husband. "My mother is a twin. And my brothers. It makes sense, don't you think?"

"Wait, you have brothers?" he asked, finally letting go of her feet to focus on her.

She pushed herself up to sit straighter and crossed her legs under her. "I do..."

Quinn scooted closer to her and rested his hand gently on her round belly. "What's become of them?"

"They went missing, a long time ago. I think they were nine or ten..." she replied as she laced her fingers between his.

"I'm so sorry..." he said quickly, but she placed her free hand on top of his reassuringly.

She looked away from him, focusing her attention on their hands. "My parents, of course, spent every credit they could trying to find them. They were never able to..." she trailed off, lost in thought. It had been a long time since she'd thought about her brothers. She'd had time to move past grief at the loss, but thinking about them again sent a spike of cold through her. They were always strong in the Force, perhaps they'd all be sitting on the Dark Council together had they not disappeared... Alecks shook herself from her reverie and took a calming breath.

"I'm...sorry," he repeated, unsure of how else to respond.

She shook her head. "It's alright," she replied.

They were silent for a long while. Alecks readjusted herself on the couch to tuck herself under Quinn's arm and she leaned her head back into his shoulder, closing her eyes as the room grew darker.

"So...twins?" Quinn asked, finally breaking the silence.

  
Alecks smiled and nodded. "I think so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really sure if this is all going to be considered in my canon, I'm more exploring a 'what if' scenario...nonetheless, the Quinn family adventures will continue.


	8. "I did a pregnancy test"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to the prompt of the same name

Alecks and Quinn sat across from each other at the table in the galley, sharing the morning silence over bad caf.  Vette stood in the doorway, watching her friends—well, she wasn’t quite sure she’d call the captain her  _friend_ , exactly—and fought the smug grin threatening to spread across her face. She was sure Alecks knew she was there, but she’d made no indication.  Vette huffed, annoyed.  Ever since they’d become open about their relationship, they were inseparable and Vette felt deprived of her girl time.  Finally deciding she’d had enough of the boring morning quiet, she moved to the table, devising a plan to liven up the mood a little bit.

She slid her lithe form in to sit next to Quinn and hooked her arm around his.  It was all she could do not to laugh at his disgusted expression as he tried to ease his arm out of her grip.  She rolled her eyes and let him go, folding her hands on the table.  

“Soooo, how’re you guys this fine morning?” she asked in her sweetest voice.  Quinn rolled his eyes and took a sip of his caf, doing his best to turn away from her in the cramped space.

Alecks shot him a smirk, shaking her head.  “We were just finalizing some mission details,” she replied, raising an eyebrow questioningly at Vette.  

“Sounds boring,” Vette commented, keeping her eye on Quinn.

“If we didn’t do it, our missions would be jeopardized.  Planning for every eventuality is necessary,” he scoffed, leaving an unsaid “ _But you wouldn’t understand_ ” hanging in the air.

Vette decided it was her time to pounce.  “That’s funny, Captain Tight-ass.  Seems you’re really not as good at that as you might think.”

Alecks shot her a warning look, but Vette ignored her.

“What are you talking about?  I always plan—”

“I did a pregnancy test,” she blurted, surprising herself at how well she was keeping from laughing.

Neither Alecks nor Quinn spoke.  Quinn had frozen in his seat, his hand halfway to his caf mug.  Slowly, he clenched it in a fist.  Alecks simply stared at her, fury blazing in her eyes.

“You…did  _what_?” Alecks ground out through clenched teeth. Vette swore she could see smoke coming from her nostrils as she breathed.

“Impossible,” Quinn muttered.  “We never—”

“Are you serious?” Alecks was still focused on Vette.

Vette smiled, swallowing the fear she had no doubt Alecks’s command of the dark side was making her feel, and nodded as she relaxed back into her seat.

Quinn rose and squeezed past Vette.  “Unbelievable.”  His knuckles whitened as his grip on the datapad tightened and he stormed out.

Vette couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore and she slapped her hands on the table as she turned back to Alecks.  “Oh my god, did you see his face?!”

“That wasn’t very nice, Vette,” Alecks said, finally relaxing and sipping her caf.  “Poor guy has enough on his plate without you giving him an aneurysm before breakfast.”

“Bah, he can take it,” Vette dismissed, waving her hand in the direction of the bridge.  “So you’re not mad?”

Alecks smiled at her. “No, I’m not mad.  I just wish you’d let me in on your jokes sometimes.  I would’ve played along.”

Vette gaped at her.  “Are you kidding me?  I wasted the opportunity?!”  She sagged back against the back of her seat, hanging her head back in disbelief.  “Aw, man…”

Alecks rose and paused to lay her hand on Vette’s shoulder.  “I’m going to go calm him down.  Let me know when you’ve thought of your next big prank.”

Vette winked.  “You got it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was given this on tumblr for Vette/Quinn. While I can entertain that ship, to me they're my broTP, so it would just overstep too many boundaries for me. This is what I came up with instead.


	9. Tarentateks and Monkey-lizards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's bed time for the twins. 
> 
> That's it. That's all I got for ya.
> 
> I'm bad at summaries.
> 
> Also Infant Contingency Report part 4...I think?

"Rethian, are you ready for bed?" Alecks called as she finished washing the dishes, handing them to Thodan to dry. It had become a sort of ritual for them as she tried to wind the six-year-olds down at the end of the day. Thodan had always been the calmer of the boys, whereas Rethian was often found bouncing off the walls—sometimes literally. It made Alecks laugh that Rethian should look so much like his father, yet act nothing like him.

Quinn was out for the evening, and Alecks was left to put the boys to bed alone. She didn't mind it; they were well-behaved, though Alecks had been more slack in their discipline than Quinn.

The sound of pattering feet grew louder as Rethian ran to the kitchen. "All ready!" he announced, coming to a halt next to her. She looked down and saw he'd dressed himself, his sleep shirt hastily buttoned and misaligned, adding to the vision that was his shock of black hair, sticking up in every direction.

Her hands still wet from the dishes, she reached down and tried to smooth his hair, but as soon as she was done, he ran his little hands through it, spiking it up again. She sighed in defeat and dried her hands. "Thodan, it's—"

"I know, I'm going. Good night." He was off the step-stool and heading down the hallway toward his bedroom before he finished speaking.

"Good night, sweetheart." She could practically hear him roll his eyes as his door slid shut behind him. She pursed her lips. He certainly wouldn't have trouble at the Sith Academy. His aloof nature hid his power well. Alecks knew one day he'd be a powerful Sith, perhaps even claiming a seat on the Dark Council.

Rethian began tugging at the hem of her shirt, and she tore herself from her thoughts to turn down to him.

"Tuck me in?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.

She leaned down to pick him up and propped him on her hip. "Of course. Let's go," she said, and added a bounce to her step. Rethian giggled.

When she had laid him down, he sighed deeply. Alecks smiled, asking, "Did you have a rough day? Was it hard being a six-year-old today?"

He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Can I ask you something, mommy?"

She pulled his blanket up to his chin and sat on his bed next to him. "Of course. You can always ask me anything."

"Do you love Thodan more than me?"

Alecks sat in shock for a moment. "What? No, why would you think that?"

Rethian sat up and looked down at his feet, focusing on how his toes moved beneath the blanket. "He has the Force and I don't. Are you sad about that?"

Alecks smoothed his hair gently and hooked a finger under his chin, turning him to look at her. "I love you both dearly. I could never be sad that my child has a different set of skills than his brother. Your father is like you, you know. He doesn't have the Force either. And I love him, too."

Rethian's eyes lit up, the tiny flecks of silver in the pools of deep blue glowing slightly. "He doesn't?"

Alecks shook her head. "Nope. He's as Force-blind as a Kowakian monkey-lizard," she said, earning a laugh. "You can be monkey-lizards together."

"I don't want to be a monkey-lizard, though."

"Well, what would you like to be?"

He thought for a moment and suddenly straightened. "I want to be a...a...tar...a taren...taren..."

"A tarentatek?"

"Yeah, that! A tarentatek! They're big and scary and cool. I want to be like that."

Alecks smiled. "Okay, you can be a tarentatek and daddy can be a monkey-lizard. Sound fair?"

He nodded happily and laid back against his pillows. Alecks tucked him in once more and made for the door. As she reached for the lightswitch, Rethian called out to her again.

"Mommy?"

Alecks paused. "Yes, Rethian?"

"Can you say that word again? The thing I get to be?"

She smiled. "Good night, my tarentatek."

"Good night, mommy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I have no idea how many more parts of this particular sub-series there are going to be, but it's really fun...
> 
> Réðian means "to rage, be fierce" in anglo-saxon and þoden means "whirlwind", I just made them into names.


	10. Awkward kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to the prompt of the same name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unbeta'd so there's probably mistakes somewhere.  
> this was also supposed to be 100-300 words....heh oops

Alecks pushed the datapad from Quinn’s hands and grabbed the front of his uniform jacket, fiercely pulling him closer.  Too caught up in the moment, Quinn threw his arms around her and held her as he pressed his lips to hers, not noticing when the datapad slipped from the desk and clattered against the floor loudly.  

Alecks’s fingers combed through his hair, pulling lightly and he tried to bring his arm up to hold the back of her neck, but as he moved, there was a small tearing sound.  He furrowed his brow and groaned quietly, breaking apart from Alecks and pressing his forehead to hers, arms still wrapped around her.

“What was that?” Alecks whispered.

Quinn once again tried to move his arm and was met with another rip.  He sighed in embarrassed defeat but didn’t answer.

“Okay, this is cozy and all, but…you can let go now…” Alecks’s tone was playful, but he could tell she was getting a little uncomfortable.

“I…can’t.”

“You can’t?”

He shook his head, feeling his face flush.  "…I’m stuck.“

Alecks laughed as she shot him a confused look, clearly amused at his predicament.

"My jacket is caught on your armor.  I can’t move without ripping it,” he explained, feeling the blush spread to the tips of his ears and down his neck.  

Alecks wiggled a bit, trying to jostle the fabric free.  Quinn winced as he felt his sleeve tug tighter and he gently pressed his hand against her back to stop her.  She pouted up at him, her brows drawing together in thought.  For a moment, Quinn looked down at her and admired the little crease between her brows, her full lips turned down in concentration.  He was shaken from his thoughts when she pressed closer against him, maneuvering her arms behind her back to try to loosen her armor.

Quinn took advantage of the space and began trying to help her, their fingers dancing over each other as they worked together.

——

Vette stood against the doorway, watching her lord and the captain doing…whatever they were doing.  Quinn was struggling to unclasp some piece of Alecks’s breastplate, and Alecks, Force help her, was pressed so close to Quinn’s chest Vette was sure she could hear his heartbeat over their grumbling and quiet laughter.  

Okay, it was cute, she had to admit.  What Alecks saw in Quinn, she’d never understand.  Seeing him actually smiling was sort of a relief, though.  It made him look human.

Finally deciding she’d seen enough, she cleared her throat loudly, smiling widely when they froze and shot surprised glances at her.

“Get a room, you two.  And close the door.”  She turned to leave, but Alecks called out to her.

“Wait!  I need your help…”

“Uh…no thanks?  We’re close, but we’re not  _that_  close.”

“His jacket is stuck and we can't—”

Vette erupted into a fit of laughter, almost doubling over.  As she made her way over to them, still giggling, she opened her mouth to speak but snapped it shut after a warning glare from Alecks.

“Don’t even think about it, Vette.  You mention this to no one.”

Vette would have the image of her blushing, embarrassed master burned in her memory forever.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to ask/request/suggest a prompt, [ here's the kiss prompt ](http://lukeskywalkersbutt.tumblr.com/post/134996862547/khirsahle-send-me-a-number-and-a-pairing-and)  
> and [here's my tumblr ](http://lukeskywalkersbutt.tumblr.com/) if you want to ask it there (everything on here gets posted there too)  
> or you can just comment your request
> 
> i'm running out of ideas for them (sort of), so don't be shy!


	11. Visions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Infant Contingency Report part 5, I suppose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Alecks has this neat-o Force power that lets her put visions in people's minds. She can make people see what she wants them to. The power kind of frightens her, so she rarely ever uses it. She's only used it with malicious intent.

 

Alecks sat tucked under Malavai’s arm on the small couch, lacing their fingers together in one hand and reading from her datapad in the other.  It was a quiet evening, the soft orange glow of the lamp casting long shadows across the spacious room as the two enjoyed the peace.

A small alert popped up on Malavai’s datapad and he shifted at the quiet _bing_.  “Do you want to put the boys to bed tonight or shall I?” he asked.

Alecks chuckled quietly.  “You actually have an alarm set for their bedtime?” she asked quietly, slowly moving from under his arm. 

He gave her a sheepish half-smile.  “Of course.  They need a set routine.”

Alecks rolled her eyes.  “Well, of course they do.  They’re eight.  Eight year old boys don’t normally go to bed on their own.”  She paused as if trying to hear something just out of earshot and her brows drew together.  “And they’re not normally this quiet for this long…”

Quinn immediately perked up as she rose.  “Is something wrong?”

As if on cue, a high-pitched scream came from Rethian’s room and both parents sprinted down the hall, Alecks practically leaping over the couch to do so.

The door slid open after painfully agonizing seconds and revealed the scene.  Rethian was curled up on the floor, tears streaming down his face and small fingers grabbing his black hair as if trying to pull the pain from his head.  He was panting and letting out small whimpers as Malavai rushed over to him, kneeling beside him and checking for injuries, though Alecks knew he was fairly certain he knew what was wrong.  He pulled the boy into his arms, wrapping them protectively around him as he shushed him, trying to calm him and shooting a concerned glance at his wife.

Alecks stared at Thodan for a brief moment before understanding what she was seeing.  Thodan stood completely still, bright blue-white eyes staring intently at his twin, a dark shadow cast over his face, his nostrils flaring.

Alecks grabbed the boy by the shoulders and shook him.  “Thodan!  Stop it!” she yelled, but he didn’t respond.  She knelt in front of him and, with both hands on his face, turned him to look at her.  “Thodan!  _Enough_!”  Her voice was fierce, filling it with the Force as she commanded her son to stop.

Slowly, Thodan’s eyes cleared and he focused on his mother.  “What?”  He gave her a sinister smile before trying to turn away, failing to pull himself from her grasp.

Carefully, she stood and led him to his own bedroom across the hall, casting one more glance at her husband and other son sitting on the floor, her heart aching.  She took a deep breath as Thodan’s door slid shut behind them and she continued to guide him to his bed, waiting for him to sit.

“I need you to explain what you did,” Alecks said evenly, forcing her fear and anger down as she spoke.

Thodan sat, his back ramrod straight and hands clasped in his lap.  He looked at her inquisitively, cocking his head to the side.  “I don’t understand what the problem is.”

Alecks sighed before sitting next to him and resting a hand on his knee.  “Please…tell me how you did that,” she demanded softly, her heart rising in her throat.

“We were playing.  He made me be the bad guy again, so I just made him see all the things I could do as a villain.  It’s not my fault he didn’t like it.  If he wasn’t prepared, he shouldn’t have—”

“Thodan…” Alecks interrupted, careful not to let her emotion show.  “That’s not _playing_.  What happened to using your words?”  She silently chided herself for sounding so… _motherly_ , but this situation was one she had feared the moment they learned he was Force-sensitive. 

“Was the vision not enough to get my point across?” the boy asked so innocently it sent a chill down Alecks’s spine and she clenched her jaw so tight her head hurt.

This was all too familiar.  Hadn’t she been around his age when she’d discovered she had this power?  When she’d nearly driven her own brother insane when she’d gotten mad at him?  She’d made him see horrible, nightmarish creatures, made him think they were after him…she’d thought up the most terrifying things she could so he’d learn not to be mean to her again…

She didn’t even want to think about what she’d done to Malavai with that same power.  The look on his face as he watched Rethian writhe on the floor was enough to make her feel sick at the memory.

“I want you to stay away from Rethian for a while,” she finally said.  “And I want you to apologize to him.”

Thodan’s head snapped up and he glared at her as if disgusted.  “Why should I apologize?  He’s the one who—”

“No, Thodan.  You crossed the line.  Get some sleep and we’ll discuss this further tomorrow.”  Alecks rose, squaring her shoulders and looking at him sternly.  “Good night,” she said and left his room, knowing he could feel the chill of her anger through the Force.

As his door closed behind her, she sighed heavily.  Perhaps it was time to finally send him to the Sith Academy…

She shook her head and headed back into Rethian’s room.

Malavai sat at the edge of the boy’s bed, quietly keeping watch of his fitful sleep.  Alecks watched her husband and felt her stomach twist, memories flooding back of her own actions, her unbridled anger making her make Mal go through the same pain her son was going through now.  Uncomfortable, she cleared her throat and moved to stand beside Rethian’s bed and rest her hands on her husband’s shoulders.

“How is he?” she whispered.

Quinn sighed and stood, wrapping his wife in his arms and resting his chin on top of her head.  “I don’t know what he saw, but I know he’ll be having nightmares for a while…” he stated and squeezed her tighter as if afraid to let go.

Knowing he spoke from experience, Alecks simply nodded though she felt tears sting her eyes and she squeezed him back.  She wanted to keep close to Rethian all night, to chase away any fears or nightmares he had, but she knew there was nothing she could do.  The thought only made her heart break. 

It had taken him a while, but Quinn had forgiven her for the torture she’s made him suffer after his betrayal. 

This was different.  Rethian hadn’t attempted to kill Thodan.  He hadn’t known full well that he was betraying a deep-seated trust, nor had he accepted that his own death might be a consequence.  He was simply an eight-year-old boy playing with his brother.  He didn’t have a malicious bone in his body.

Alecks closed her eyes and took a shaky breath, taking comfort in her husband’s scent and closeness.  “I’m sorry…”

Quinn shushed her and gently rubbed her back as he held her.  “This wasn’t your fault, my love,” he replied, though Alecks could hear the strain in his voice.

Without another word, they headed to their bedroom, dimming Rethian’s light as they left.

It would be a restless night for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh I'm terrible at endings sometimes....whoops.


End file.
